1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to new and useful improvements in cable and wire laying apparatus and more particularly to apparatus which can be removable installed on agricultural tractors.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
There have been numerous attempts made in the prior art to provide a satisfactory mobile support for handling spools of cable or wire for installation in the field. Most of the prior art attempts have involved apparatus requiring the use of specially designed tractors and apparatus which was expensive to manufacture and complex to build.
Aden U.S. Pat. No. 2,616,636 discloses a rolled wire attachment for vehicles. The attachment is of tubular steel and is not designed for use with a standard three-point hitch, although it is usable with hydraulic hoists which are available on some tractors. The structure is fixed in width and does not provide for adjustability in construction or for positioning of a roll of cable to either side of the vehicle for laying down fence wire.
Brown U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,341 discloses a winding and stretching attachment for wire fences. This is a complicated arrangement involving a separate drive mechanism extending to the spool-carrying framework.
Van Polen U.S. Pat. No. 3,880,305 discloses a bale handling apparatus having a vertical frame and a hydraulically actuated tilting frame for supporting a mechanism for picking up a round bale of hay.
Whistle U.S. Pat. No. 3,934,655 discloses a hydraulic post setting and wire dispensing apparatus which is quite complicated and includes a variety of wire spool supports.
Parker U.S. Pat. No. 3,946,887 discloses an apparatus for handling bales of hay. This apparatus is susceptible of being carried by a three-point hitch on an agricultural tractor but is lacking in adjustment as to size and configuration and is complicated by added hydraulic mechanism for tilting the supporting members outward.
Roose U.S. Pat. No. 4,049,140 discloses a hay baling device consisting U-shaped framework carried on a tractor and having a hydraulic mechanism for spreading and closing the side arms of the support.